CHICAGO — One of the reasons oft-repeated by the Giants to justify taking Saquon Barkley so high in the 2018 draft is that they called him “generational’’ and insisted labeling him as a running back was putting him a box that could not contain him. They preferred describing him as a “weapon,” and Barkley’s uncanny ability to catch everything thrown his way and run routes with the aplomb of a wide receiver meant he was uber-valuable.
Among the many disappointing aspects to his second season is Barkley’s failure to stamp himself as a difference-maker as a target out of the backfield. Perhaps lingering after-effects of a high ankle sprain prevents him from running the wheel-routes that struck fear into linebackers. It is the more basic pass plays the Giants must lean on with Barkley that are missing, and the way Daniel Jones operates — one of the rookie quarterback’s strengths — is inadvertently taking the ball out of the hands of his most lethal offensive teammate.
“It’s safe to say Daniel’s got his eyes downfield a little bit more,’’ coach Pat Shurmur said. “That maybe has something to do with it.’’
That definitely has something to do with it. One of the knocks on Eli Manning the past few years was his hesitancy to throw the ball deep and what was viewed as too much eagerness to dump the ball off or check it down. Those are short receptions Barkley can take a long distance, but only if the ball comes his way.
Barkley missed three games with the ankle issue and goes into Sunday’s game against the Bears with 33 receptions. The Giants need him to be a bigger factor in the passing game.
Jones likes to throw it deep and has yet to make a strong connection with Barkley as a pass-receiver.
“Where do you win in that situation?’’ Barkley said. “When Eli was our quarterback and I was getting the ball too much, everyone would say, ‘He throws check-downs too much.’ So now that we’re not throwing check-downs, ‘Oh he’s looking down the field too much?’ Me personally, I don’t ever want to get in his way. Daniel Jones is a great player and a great quarterback and going to be an even player as time goes on. He’s going to be one of the best in the league, I believe. That’s gonna come to him.
“Check-downs are always a safety-valve for a quarterback, but be you,’’ Barkley said, referring to Jones. “In college we used to say they dig the deep ball. Be you, go out there and play your game. I’m going to be there if you need me to be there.’’
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